Cargo, cruise ships collide in Danube channel

A cruise ship carrying more than 100 tourists, most of them from Germany, collided Wednesday with a cargo ship in a Danube River channel near the capital of Slovakia, though no injuries were reported officials said.

A cruise ship carrying more than 100 tourists, most of them from Germany, collided Wednesday with a cargo ship in a Danube River channel near the capital of Slovakia, though no injuries were reported officials said.

A German cargo ship carrying corn was badly damaged in the collision early Wednesday south of Bratislava, fire department spokesman Ivan Petko said, but authorities managed to prevent it from sinking. Five crew members escaped unharmed.

The 160 passengers from the Maltese cruise ship Viktoria, which was only slightly damaged, are being evacuated, he said. He said the captain was confident the ship could reach the port in Bratislava. The cause of the collision is being investigated.

Jana Vadkertyova, spokeswoman for the State Navigation Administration, said the tourists were mostly elderly Germans heading for Passau, Germany.

Vadkertyova identified the name of the cargo ship as Bavaria 52. Another ship was expected to arrive later Wednesday to pick up the tourists.